的 de — Noun Modifier

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Grammar · HSK 1
Grammar Point · HSK 1

的 de — Noun Modifier

的 de marks possession or description, sitting between a modifier and the noun it describes — but in a few common situations, it can be dropped altogether.

的 de usage and omission Chinese grammar

Think of 的 de as the Chinese equivalent of “‘s” or “of” — it links a noun, pronoun, or adjective to the noun that follows, showing that the first part belongs to or describes the second.

1 Pronoun/Noun + 的 de + Noun (Possession)

这zhè是shì我wǒ的de书shū
This is my book.
那nà是shì他tā的de手机shǒujī
That is his phone.
你nǐ的de名字míngzi是shì什么shénme？
What is your name?
这zhè是shì谁shéi的de杯子bēizi？
Whose cup is this?

2 Adjective + 的 de + Noun (Description)

这zhè是shì一件yíjiàn漂亮piàoliang的de衣服yīfu
This is a beautiful piece of clothing.
他tā是shì一个yíge很好hěnhǎo的de老师lǎoshī
He is a very good teacher.
我wǒ想xiǎng买mǎi红色hóngsè的de苹果píngguǒ
I want to buy red apples.
那nà是shì一只yìzhī可爱kěài的de猫māo
That is a cute cat.

3 Verb (Phrase) + 的 de + Noun

A verb or verb phrase can also come before 的 de to describe a noun — like saying “the food (that) I bought” instead of just “food.”

这zhè是shì我wǒ买mǎi的de饭fàn
This is the food (that) I bought.
那nà是shì他tā做zuò的de蛋糕dàngāo
That is the cake (that) he made.
我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan她tā画huà的de画huà
I like the picture (that) she drew.
这zhè是shì妈妈māma煮zhǔ的de汤tāng
This is the soup (that) mom cooked.

4 When 的 de Can Be Dropped

In a few common situations, 的 de is left out, and the sentence usually sounds more natural without it.

People

For close family members and close friends, 的 de is usually dropped.

我wǒ妈妈māma很hěn忙máng
My mom is busy.
他tā是shì我wǒ朋友péngyou
He is my friend.

Fixed Groups and Places

For the group or place someone belongs to — like a school, company, or country — 的 de is usually dropped too.

我们wǒmen学校xuéxiào很hěn大dà
Our school is very big.
我wǒ家jiā有yǒu三个sānge人rén
There are three people in my family.

Short, One-Syllable Adjectives

A single-syllable adjective usually attaches directly to the noun, without 的 de.

这zhè是shì红hóng苹果píngguǒ
This is a red apple.
那nà是shì一只yìzhī小xiǎo猫māo
That is a small cat.
Good to Know

Dropping 的 de isn’t required — 我的妈妈 and 红色的苹果 are both perfectly correct. Dropping it just makes the sentence sound a little closer and more natural, the way “my mom” sounds more natural than “the mom belonging to me.”

5 Common Mistakes

❌
这zhè是shì谁shéi书shū？
✅
这zhè是shì谁shéi的de书shū？
谁 shéi (“who”) plus a noun always needs 的 de to ask “whose” — it’s never dropped here.
❌
这zhè是shì漂亮piàoliang衣服yīfu
✅
这zhè是shì漂亮piàoliang的de衣服yīfu
Two-syllable adjectives like 漂亮 piàoliang (“pretty”) normally keep 的 de before the noun — only simple one-syllable adjectives like 红 hóng or 小 xiǎo can skip it.

6 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01This is my dog. (possessive)
这zhè是shì我wǒ的de狗gǒu
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02My dad is a doctor. (people)
我wǒ爸爸bàba是shì医生yīshēng
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03Whose bag is this? (possessive)
这zhè是shì谁shéi的de包包bāobāo？
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04That is a very interesting book. (description)
那nà是shì一本yìběn很hěn有趣yǒuqù的de书shū
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05Our company is very big. (fixed phrase)
我们wǒmen公司gōngsī很hěn大dà
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06This is the cake (that) I made. (verb phrase)
这zhè是shì我wǒ做zuò的de蛋糕dàngāo
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07She is my classmate. (people)
她tā是shì我wǒ同学tóngxué
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08This is a small cat. (short adjective)
这zhè是shì一只yìzhī小xiǎo猫māo
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09This is the picture (that) I drew. (verb phrase)
这zhè是shì我wǒ画huà的de画huà
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10I want to buy a blue shirt. (description)
我wǒ想xiǎng买mǎi蓝色lánsè的de衬衫chènshān
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Related Grammar

→得 de — Verb Modifier(HSK 2) →地 de — Adjective Modifier(HSK 2)

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